Online spending during the recent holiday season soared to new heights, boosted by AI-powered chatbots that helped shoppers find deals and products faster.
Key Facts:
• Online holiday sales reached $241.4 billion in 2024, according to Adobe Analytics.
• Traffic to retail sites from AI chatbots increased 1,300% over the previous year.
• Cyber Monday traffic from these chatbots surged by 1,950% year over year.
• Smartphones generated over 54% of online purchases, with nearly 80% of “buy now, pay later” transactions on mobile devices.
The Rest of The Story:
Holiday spending from November 1 to December 31 grew nearly 9% compared to the prior year.
Experts at Adobe Analytics credit a portion of this growth to generative AI technology, which has emerged as a favorite tool for many online shoppers.
These AI-driven chatbots are designed to guide users through a wide array of options, effectively serving as digital shopping assistants that recommend products and special offers.
Researchers note that 70% of consumers who used generative AI chatbots found them to be a positive influence on their overall shopping experience.
Many people turned to these interactive helpers for deal-finding tips and to discover specific items.
By quickly processing user requests and sifting through vast inventories, chatbots boosted the efficiency of e-commerce sites and simplified the consumer’s search for gifts.
Another significant development this season was the greater use of mobile devices for completing purchases.
Adobe’s data shows that over half of the overall online sales stemmed from smartphones.
This shift toward mobile shopping, combined with AI chatbots’ ability to influence buyer decisions, created a powerful combination that propelled holiday spending to unprecedented levels.
Adobe Digital Insights lead analyst Vivek Pandya said these trends reveal how e-commerce is adapting to newer technologies and shifting consumer habits.
AI-powered chatbots aided holiday shopping purchases and returns on a larger scale in 2024, boosting total online sales by 4% from a year ago. https://t.co/zpkhU0vqWC
— Inc. (@Inc) January 6, 2025
The Bottom Line:
Generative AI chatbots have found a welcome home in the world of online retail.
Their presence, coupled with rising mobile usage, helped push holiday spending beyond prior records.
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As technology continues to advance, businesses will look for more ways to personalize the shopping experience. The success of AI-assisted shopping suggests this approach will remain popular in future holiday seasons.